The present invention relates to the electronic detection and location of darts or other missiles which are embedded in discreet scoring segments or areas of a target, such as in a conventional fiber or bristle dart board.
Various approaches have been taken in the past to automatically detect and electronically or electrically score games which employ a projectile which is to be propelled toward some form of target having areas denominated in different scores. One example of such game is the game of darts in which a dart is thrown at a dart board having plural segmented target areas of differing scores and multiples of those scores. Depending upon which target area the dart becomes embedded in, the game player is credited with the score or a multiple of the score for that area. Some of the target areas on the dart board are substantially smaller than other areas on the dart board, and if a dart becomes embedded in one of these smaller target areas, the score of the person who has thrown that dart is doubled or tripled.
One system which has been employed in the past to electronically score dart games which can utilize a conventional sisal fiber dart board is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,333 to Allen. The system disclosed in that patent relies on a principle of interference with electromagnetic radiation by an embedded dart, as opposed to other systems in which the dart itself acts as part of a transmitting/receiving electromagnetic radiation antenna. Although the system disclosed in that patent enjoys advantages over other earlier systems, there is still substantial room for improvement in the reliability and accuracy of the electronic scoring. In particular, it has been found that undesirable errors may occur in the electronic scoring where the dart may become embedded either in the large single scoring target area of the dart board but very close to the much smaller double or triple scoring area or vice versa and/or where the dart which is embedded at the last mentioned locations is only embedded to a shallow depth rather than a deep depth or vice versa. In these instances, loss of accuracy and reliability of scoring may be experienced. It is the purpose of the present invention to substantially improve the accuracy and reliability of such electronic scoring particularly in such instances as just described.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, a system for the accurate location of a missile embedded in a target comprises a target having a target face, which has a plurality of target areas formed of material into which one or more of the missiles may be selectively embedded. The target areas include a first target area which has a first magnitude of area size and a second target area which is adjacent to the first target area and which has a second magnitude of area size which is substantially larger than the first magnitude of area size. Signal receiving elements are associated with respective ones of the target areas for receiving and sensing electromagnetic signals which are received at each of the target areas when a missile is embedded in or near respective ones of the target areas. The signal receiving elements are positioned on a side of the material opposite the target face and substantially conform in size and shape to each of the target areas. The signal receiving element of the first target area has an area size which is substantially equal in magnitude to the first magnitude of area size, and the signal receiving element of the substantially larger second target area has a total area size which is substantially equal to the second magnitude of area size, but includes a signal sensing portion which is electrically distinct from the signal receiving element of the first target area and also electrically distinct from the remainder of the total area of the signal receiving element of the second target area. A processing means is electrically connected to the signal receiving elements and the sensing portion which is electrically distinct from the remainder of the total area of the signal receiving element of the second target area, and the processing means distinguishes between a first electromagnetic signal which is received and sensed by one of the signal receiving elements or the signal sensing portion, and a second electromagnetic signal which results from the presence of a missile in close proximity to the target area of the one of the signal receiving elements or the sensing portion, wherein the close proximity of the missile permits the accurate detection of the location of the missile.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned electrically distinct signal sensing portion of the signal receiving element of the second target area is adjacent to the signal receiving element of the first target area.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the magnitude of the area size of the electrically distinct signal sensing portion is substantially equal to the first magnitude of area size.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned target is a dart board.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the first target area of the dart board is an area in which a double or triple score is awarded if a dart is embedded in the first target area, and the second target area is an area in which only a single score is awarded if a dart is embedded in the second target area.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.